Luke 23:18-25 (ESV)

But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”—a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.” But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.

Pilate is pretty irritated that this matter requires his attention, but just try to imagine the trouble if it ends up on Caesar’s desk. That seems far-fetched, but this mob is nuts. They keep shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” Pilate is baffled by this and asks, “Why, what evil has he done?”

They don’t give an answer; they just keep screaming for Him to be crucified. It’s starting to look like he’s either going to have to accede to their demands or put down a riot by force – which is well within his power to do. But that’s not a prospect he relishes, so he caves.

The great irony here is that Jesus’ accusers are committing the exact crime that they accused Jesus of back in verse 5 – stirring up the crowd. Jesus is perfectly innocent (more than anyone else in history) while his accusers are perfectly guilty.

But that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Jesus walked all the way to Jerusalem to be the innocent sacrifice for guilty people. His accusers have unwittingly built a model of the gospel right there in Pilate’s courtyard.

Actually, they’re building two models. Their cry to have Barabbas released is the other one. He’s obviously guilty – these people are crazy to want this thug back on the street – but he’s a perfect model of the gospel. They will nail Jesus to the cross they were planning to nail Barabbas to.

The innocent dies in the guilty one’s place.

Watching this unfold, I’d be tempted to hope that Pilate would just call in the riot police and give these clowns an attitude adjustment. The disciples may have been hoping for (and praying for) exactly that.

In retrospect, we can see the misguided nature of that prayer. When we see God’s purposes, the silliness of some of our heartfelt desires becomes obvious. That’s an attitude adjustment too.

It’s good to ask God to reveal His purposes, especially if we’re angry or frustrated about something.

He’ll never let us see all of it – that would be more than we could handle – but we can ask for enough for an attitude adjustment. Ask God to open your eyes to his will.

It’s OK to be upset, even to scream, as long as you’re being honest with God.

The weekly study guides, which include discussion questions, are available for download here:

https://www.ailbe.org/resources/itemlist/category/91-deep-studies